In safety applications (automobiles are one example), a number of loads may be switched on and off by a corresponding switch. In addition, there may be a common (“central”) switch that allows power to be supplied to all loads. In today's applications, the switches are all high-voltage devices, which implies high-cost (because large silicon area is required for the realization of the switches). Accordingly there remains a need to improve upon today's applications in order to reduce cost and/or size.